Burial vault



Dec. 2-2. 1931.

w. c. BRoUGl-'ITON BURIALVAULT Filed Aug. 27, 1928 Patented Dec. 22, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT' OFFICE j BURIAL VA'ULT Application led August 27, 1928. Serial No. 802,298.

Heretofore it has been customary to undertake the protecting of burial caskets from Water and decay while in the grave byv first placing them in a concrete case. or lowering a metal jacket over the casket before the loose earth is thrown back into the grave. As the concrete case is more or less porous, moisture will in the course of time soak through and cause the enclosed wood burial 'casket to decay, while if the metal jacket is employed it will eventually be crushed or bent out of shape by the weight of the earth thereon and thereby fail to properly seal the enclosed casket from the entrance of water.

In carrying out my invention I overcome the foregoing objections by inclosing the burial casket in a water-tight .metallic jacket which in turn is enclosed in a concrete case rotected by a metallic cover. The jacket 1s spaced from the casket and the concrete case is spaced from said jacket and the outer metal cover, thereby providing three air spaces for the preservationof the Wood burial casket. I

The metallic jacket and the outer metallic cover being air and water-tight prevent those elements from attacking and destroying theenclosed burial casket, while the concrete case 4 isso formed as to sustain the top and sides of the outer metallic cover so that the latter can carry the earth thereon without becoming bentout of shape. Y

In order that thev invention4 may be fully understood, reference will now be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

. Fig. 1 isa longitudinal section of the burial vault. v g

Fig. 2 is a cross section of theburial vault online 2-2 of. Fig. 1.

, Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing several-parts of the concrete case detached from each other. y

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of portions of the concrete case and the .inner metal jacket. v

Referring in detail to thev different parts,

A designates the burial lcasket which is usual- `ly made of wood and forms no part' of the present invention. 2 designates an inner metal jacket which is closed at the top, sides,

-and ends but is open at the bottom so that Vset forth and are assembled inthe grave preparatory to receiving the casket A and the inner metal jacket 2. y

The bottom wall 6 has a large recess 14 extending over almost the entire area of the underside thereof for apurpose which will hereinafter appear. The upper side of the i' bottom wall 6 is reinforced by a plurality of ribs 16 which also constitute a support for the casket A. An offset 18 extends entirely around the margins of the bottom wall 6 for the reception ofthe lower edges of the 75 side walls 8 and the end walls 10, which are reinforced at their outer sides with transverse ribs 20 and 22, respectively.

The lid 12, like the bottom wall 6, has a marginal offset 24 extending entirely around s0 its under side for the reception of the upper margins of the side Walls 8 and the end walls 10. The upper surface of the lid 12 inclines in opposite directions from a central ridge 28 and is reinforced by a plurality of trans- 85 verse ribs 30. The ends of the side walls 8 have vertical offsets 31 for receiving the ends of the end walls 10.

32 designates an outer metal cover which is entirely enclosed, except at its under side Vl() are then lowered one by one and placed lin position by resting their lower margins in the offset 18 of the bottom Wall 6. The side and end walls 8 and 10, respectively, are then secured together with pliable means such as copper or other noncorrosive Wires 11, some of which are embedded at one end in the walls 8 while the others have one end embedded in the Walls 10. When the case 4 has thus been set up for use the casket A is lowered upon the ribs 16, after which the inner jacket 2 is lowered to cover the casket A and rest upon the bottom wall 6. The jacketl2 is v firmly held upon the bottom wall 6 with the Wires 11, the free ends of which are passed through eyes 18 on the jacket 2. The lid 12 is then lowered into position upon the upper margins of the side and end Walls 8 and 10, respectively, and coacts with the bottom wall 6 and the Wires 11 in firmly holding the case 4 in assembled position. The outer metal cover 32 is next lowered over the case 4 and its lower margins are slightly embedded in the bottom of the grave to form an air and water-tight joint. The ribs 20, 22 and 30 hold the outer cover 32 in spaced relation to the concrete case 4 and with the recess 14 leave a dry air space 34 almost cntirely around the case 4 so that moisture cannot reach the latter. The ribs 20, 22 and 30 also support and reinforce the outer metal cover 32 and thus prevent it from becoming bent out of sha e or crushed in by the weight of the dirt resting thereon. The inner metal jacket 2, covering the casket A is spaced from the latter to leave an air space 35, and-the case 4 is spaced from said jacket 2 and the outer cover 32 to leave air spaces 36 and 34, respectively.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that I have provided a triple air space for preservingr and keeping the casket A dry and. sealing it against the entrance of moisture, and while I have shown and described one form of the invention I reserve all rights to such other forms and modifications thereofr as properly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

-Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, ist

In combination, a case having side, end and bottom walls, ribs on the upper surface of the bottom wall for supporting a burial casket, said ribs being shorter than the width of the bottom wall, a metal jacket adapted to extend over the top, side and end walls of said casket and rest at its lower margins upon the bottom wall of the case, the opposite sides of said jaeketabutting the ends of said ribs to hold the jacket in spaced relation to the inner surface of the' case, and a lid for said case.

In testimony whereof I aix my si WALTER C. BROUGH ON.

ature. 

